A Thousand Years
by FuzzySlipper19
Summary: When I found myself trapped in Middle Earth, I thought it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. But some amazing things happened. I joined the Fellowship, made unbreakable bonds of friendship, and I even fell in love. I only wish I hadn't made a deal with Saruman first...
1. Preface

_**Author's Note: **__**I am incredibly excited to finally be posting this story online. I have been thinking about it and planning it for some time now. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! The entire story is inspired by the song "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri. If you have no heard it before, I recommend looking up the lyrics and looking up the song. The entire story will be divided into four 'books,' if you will: one section for Fellowship, one section for Two Towers, one section for Return of the King and one afterward section. As of right now, this story is rated T, but I will let you know if that changes. Enjoy!**___

_**Disclaimer: **__**I do not own the Lord of the Rings books nor do I own the Lord of the Rings movies. I do not own any of the characters. I do not own the song "A Thousand Years." No profit is being made off of this story; it is being written merely for entertainment purposes.**_

_Preface:_

_All of the dreamers out there will tell you to follow your heart. No matter what. "If something doesn't feel right, don't do it" they would preach._

_But it's obvious that they'd never been in a predicament like mine, because this definitely didn't feel right, but I had to go through with it._

_How do you follow your heart when your life could be at stake? How do you find the courage to do what you feel is "morally right" and such?_

_When your heart is screaming "no" and your head is screaming "yes" which one do you listen to?_


	2. Book 1 and Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **__**This is the beginning of book 1, which was inspired by the song "What Have You Done" by Within Temptation and Keith Caputo. If you do not know this song, I recommend looking up the lyrics and listening to it. Look for the five minute version, though, not the three minute version, as I am using the extended one.**_

_**Disclaimer: **__**I do not own the Lord of the Rings books nor do I own the Lord of the Rings movies. I do not own any of the characters. I do not own the song "What Have You Done." No profit is being made off of this story; it is being written merely for entertainment purposes.**_

_**Book 1: What Have You Done?**_

_**Credits: **__**Book 1 is based on a song called "What Have You Done" by Within Temptation and Keith Caputo. I do not own this song; it was merely an inspiration for Book 1.**_

_**Chapter 1:**_

Driving in a storm like this seemed like a pretty crazy idea to me, and yet here I was behind the wheel, my windshield wipers working overtime to keep up with the pouring rain. I mean, I definitely checked the weather this morning, and it told me that it was only supposed to drizzle today.

But obviously they were a little bit mistaken.

At least I was almost there. I never much liked driving in this kind of weather. To be honest, I never really liked being outside of my house at all when it was raining. I always preferred to stay within the comfort of my own home, with nice, warm blankets and a seemingly endless supply of hot chocolate.

But since I already promised Kari I'd go see this movie with her, I figured I could put up with a little depressing weather to make her happy.

Kari was my friend from middle school. And though I don't spend a whole lot of time with her anymore, I still consider her my closest friend.

Things have just been so busy lately. Which is why I was making such an effort to see her tonight. It's important to keep in touch with her. Especially since she and her boyfriend just broke up.

It was Wednesday that Kari and her boyfriend, Chad, broke up. I'm still not certain who broke up with whom, because neither one of them has said anything… but I'm assuming that Chad broke up with Kari, since Kari wouldn't even tell me.

And Kari tells me _everything_.

So I guess I wasn't really surprised when Kari came to me on Thursday and asked if I wanted to go see a movie Friday (today). After a break-up with someone you've been with for longer than a year, who would want to mope around the house?

I wasn't ever that good at knowing what to say in those sorts of situations, but I could at least offer support and distraction.

But first I had to get to the movies.

The movie was going to be starting soon, so I pressed down a bit harder on the gas pedal.

The movie looked sort of promising. It was a romantic comedy, and I could always appreciate those. Plus, the lead guy was pretty attractive, so I figured that even if the plot failed to be what I'd hoped, I could still be entertained.

Kari had always liked romantic comedies, too. Honestly, though, I couldn't understand why she'd want to watch a romance right now (because of her break-up). But, if it made her happy, I was glad to do it.

While my mind was distracted on my plans to watch the movie with my best friend, I guess I didn't notice just how much the storm had picked up…and just how much I had sped up. Not that that was really a _huge_ problem… not until I met another pair of headlights.

I was going a little too fast to brake… and besides, in this weather, braking would make me skid. So without thinking, I swerved to the left and squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I could, the horn of the other car blaring in the background. I didn't even have time to scream, it happened so quickly.

I felt myself lose control of the car, and I felt a rush of panic come over me. Where was I headed? Was I still on the road? Had the other car even noticed?

I drew in a gasp of air as I opened my eyes. I was blinded by a white light and then everything went dark.

-((*))—

I guess I should rewind. It's not always a fantastic idea to start out a story with the impending death of the protagonist.

I remember waking up at my usual time, 6 a.m. sharp, for school. I was so glad that it was Friday, because honestly if I'd had to endure another day of school, I'm positive I would have lost my mind.

There was no point in trying to get back to sleep since I knew Bree liked getting to school early, so I stretched, lazily got to my feet and trudged to the bathroom to take a shower.

A hot shower always had a way of making me comfortably wake up for school, so I was glad that Bree normally showered at night-time, as did Leo. So on normal days, I had no competition for the shower.

Now of course there were plenty of days when Bree and I had to squabble for the bathroom, usually for special days when she wanted to do something fancy to her hair. And that was always a little inconvenient since we had a house of five people and only one and a half bathrooms.

But I would take what I could get.

When I was finished with my shower, I rushed out of the tub and threw on my clothes as quickly as I could. I'd always had a habit of staying too long in the shower. And right now it was twenty to seven, and we usually left the house at seven.

Like many other days, I didn't have time to blow-dry my hair, so I let my wet hair drip down my back.

Then after brushing my teeth, I ran downstairs to eat a bowl of Fruit Loops. Just as I sat down, Bree appeared, looking beautiful as always. I felt pretty plain next to her, since I wore barely any make-up to school anymore. It just took too much time – time that I'd rather spend sleeping.

Bree, on the other hand, pretty much always looked her best. Even on the few mornings that she was in a hurry, she still had time to pick out a nice outfit and do her make-up well.

"So we're taking my car today?" Bree asked as she danced past me. The sweet scent of vanilla lingered in the air. I didn't know if it was perfume, or just her natural scent, but Bree always smelled like vanilla.

"I guess so," I said, shoving a spoonful of Fruit Loops into my mouth, trying to finish it as quickly as possible.

"I call shot-gun," my brother, Leo, said as he sat down across from me with a pop-tart.

"I guess I get back," I sighed, though I didn't mind too badly.

At 6:59 a.m. Bree was ready to leave, so I grabbed my bag and followed her out the door. The drive was nice, but too short, and before I knew it, we were at school.

I dreaded school these days. I was only a junior in high school, but I was beyond ready to graduate. Leo, being my twin, was also in the eleventh grade. He didn't seem to mind school as much as I did, though. Bree was a senior, and I had to admit I was just a little jealous that she was graduating in a mere three months.

I was fairly certain that she was ready to graduate, but she never showed signs of negativity or impatience toward school. I think maybe a small part of her even liked school, and would miss it when she graduated.

But Bree was quite different from most people I'd met.

Bree parked and skipped out of the car in a hurry. She had a social life to attend to I supposed. Leo got out casually and I dragged my feet getting out.

"Come on, at least it's Friday," Leo assured me as we walked toward the school. He must have picked up on my hesitance to enter the building. "You have a whole weekend to relax and forget this place exists."

I laughed.

"That's true."

"Sora!" Kari called from across the parking lot. She was standing by her light blue, brand new car, waving excitedly at me.

I nodded good bye to my brother and headed over to see what Kari wanted.

"Hey!" I said as I got a little closer. "We're still on for the movie tonight, right?"

"Of course!" she smiled. "Gosh, it's been so long since we've actually hung out… I'm excited!"

"So am I," I agreed. "It's been forever."

"You ready for history?" she groaned. It was the only class we had together, but we both shared an equal distaste for it. To top it off, it was first thing in the morning.

"Not really," I grimaced, shaking my head. "We have a test too."

"Shoot, are you kidding me?" she asked, her eyes growing wide.

"Nope," I told her regretfully.

So we both went to history and both probably failed the test, because neither of us had studied. But it was Friday, and we both agreed we didn't have to even think about it until Monday.

This was good. Thinking about bad grades wasn't my favorite thing to do.

After history was chemistry, the class I had with my brother, Leo. We didn't sit near each other, though; he sat next to his girlfriend and I sat with a casual friend of mine. I didn't mind sitting across the room from him; we had enough time to spend together at home.

Most siblings don't seem to get along, but my siblings and I seem to do okay. Leo and I never seem to bump heads, and Bree and I really only fight over the bathroom. I actually consider Leo a close friend of mine, and Bree and I are also on good terms.

I suppose I could have been a lot less lucky.

When I glanced out the window, I noticed that it was starting to drizzle. It was April, though… and as the old saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers".

I was just a little bit disappointed that Mother Nature chose _today _for it to rain. It would cast a dreary mood on my girls' night out tonight.

"Rachel," I whispered cautiously while the teacher had his back turned, busily writing complicated-looking equations on the black-board.

Although she did not turn to face me, her eyes darted in my direction.

"Do you have your phone on you?" I whispered. Unlike me, Rachel had a smart phone, so she could check the internet wherever there was wi-fi.

Smart phones seemed pretty convenient to me, but not exactly worth the money. I had a laptop if I wanted to go online. I didn't need it in my cell phone, too.

But sadly, I didn't have my laptop on me today, and I really wanted to check the weather for the rest of the day.

"Is this rain supposed to clear up?" I asked. Rachel discretely pulled out her purse and spent a few minutes searching on her phone for the weather. She smiled as she nodded.

"Just a light drizzle for the rest of the day," she assured me.

"Thanks," I said whole-heartedly.

"Miss Lockheart, do you have the answer to question six?" my suspicious chemistry teacher asked me, raising his eyebrow.

I bit my lip, sighing. I was certain my cheeks were at least a little red – I could feel them rapidly heating up.

"I don't," I told him.

"Then you, of all people, shouldn't be talking," he said in a stern voice, shaking his head. "We have a test on this Monday, you know!"

_Great_, I thought, mentally rolling my eyes.

After what seemed an eternity, the bell finally rang, dismissing me to lunch. I sat at my usual table, talked a little, and then went to English class. It went pretty smoothly because we just worked on our papers for the entire class-period.

Then, after Spanish class, I was free to go for the day. I met Kari in the parking lot before dashing to Bree's car, and we both agreed to meet at the theater at 6pm sharp.

There was a little bit of thunder booming in the background as Bree drove us home. She turned on the radio, however, so the approaching storm wasn't extremely noticeable.

"Any fun plans for the weekend?" Bree asked as she drove rather carelessly down the road. But that was Bree's driving style; she drove a little fast, she didn't always watch the road like she was supposed to, and yet she had never been in an accident.

Not yet, at least. She'd been driving with a license for a mere two years; I hoped that she would never be in one.

"I'm taking Allison out tonight," Leo replied. "And working tomorrow." I knew Leo well enough to be fairly certain that he'd be taking his girlfriend out again tomorrow (after work, of course).

Leo was probably the most responsible of us all. He was never late for school or work, he always completed his assignments and responsibilities, and he still had time to keep up a great social life. I didn't have a clue how he managed to pull it off.

We're both juniors with similar classes, and I seem to spend twice as long on homework as he does.

And he still had plenty of time for Allison and his friends.

"I think I'm going to stay at home tonight," Bree said thoughtfully, her eyes going somewhere far away, "and then tomorrow I'll probably get the girls together. Maybe I'll see Josh on Sunday…"

Bree tended to date casually rather than settling down for a long-term relationship like my twin brother did. I didn't understand why she didn't settle down, though. She was so beautiful that every guy in the school could only _dream_ of going out with her. She could effortlessly have anyone she wanted.

Yet she seemed to thrive on hanging with her friends and family and entertaining herself with various hobbies and activities. Long-term dating never seemed to keep her interested.

"I'm going to see Kari tonight," I piped in. Bree's face genuinely lit up as I said this.

"Oh you two will have so much fun!" she promised.

"It'll be nice," I agreed, smiling.

-((*))—

I didn't have a ton of time when I got home before I had to leave for the movie, but I did have enough time to relax a little bit. Which was nice.

I didn't usually get a whole lot of time to relax. School was steadily getting tougher every day. And of course there were SAT's and college pressure and social dramas and everything else.

Leo and Bree both retreated to their bedrooms and I plopped myself down onto the couch for some TV time.

I only felt a little bit of guilt as I reached for the remote and turned on a mindless sitcom. While Bree was upstairs playing the flute or learning a foreign language or painting a picture, here I was, mouth open, eyes wide, watching TV.

I didn't know how Bree did it; she was a senior and she seemingly had so much time to throw around. It was the same way when she was a junior, and a sophomore, and a freshmen. She always had time to do something productive, no matter how much work she got.

I only vaguely noticed when our dog, Naya, started barking up a storm, thus indicating that my mother was home from work. Occasionally my father… but normally my mother. She usually didn't work as late as my dad did.

"Hey, baby!" my mom cooed as she leaned down to pet our currently excited Black Lab. When she was done petting the dog, she looked up at me. "How was your day?" she asked with legitimate interest.

"It was good," I said, shrugging. I turned off the TV and stood up. "Nothing really special, but nothing awful, either."

She smiled.

"That's good," she said, nodding. She headed to the kitchen; probably to start on dinner.

"Will you save some in the fridge for me?" I asked.

"Some..?"

"Dinner?" I clarified. My mom poked her head out of the kitchen doorway.

"Where are you going?"

"Movies with Kari?" I stated, though it sounded more like a question. "I told you yesterday…"

"Oh that's right," my mother said, shaking her head and smiling. "I'm old," she teased. "You can't expect me to remember everything all the time."

I laughed, and checked the time. It was about time to go.

I waved good-bye to my mother, grabbed my purse and headed out the door. I hadn't seen my father since yesterday (he always left pretty early for work), but I'd get to see him when I got home. Maybe we'd all (except Leo) pop in a movie or play a video game or something when I got back.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: **__**I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Here is the next installment of "A Thousand Years." Reviews are very much appreciated if you have an extra moment. Thanks!**_

_**Disclaimer: **__**I do not own the Lord of the Rings books nor do I own the Lord of the Rings movies. No profit is being made off of this story; it is being written merely for entertainment purposes.**_

_**Chapter 2:**_

It must have been hours later that I woke up from the car crash… or maybe even days. I felt so unreal and so out of it… I struggled to remember what had happened as I sat up carefully.

I wasn't prepared for the wave of dizziness that came as I sat up, so I let myself fall back once again.

I was no longer in my car. My beautiful, scarlet Camry that was probably completely destroyed by now.

I was in a bed… in a dark room… the walls were almost black, but they leaned slightly toward a hue of navy blue.

Had I been taken to some dark hospital? Was the crash that terrible?

No… this couldn't be a hospital… there were what appeared to be old relics everywhere.

I couldn't really focus enough to be able to tell exactly what they were, though. My vision blurred and my head was still throbbing.

Nonetheless, I could still tell this was no hospital… I'd seen enough on TV to know that they didn't look at all like this.

Was this a dream? Was the crash a dream?

I was too weary to let the panic build up inside of me. For right now, I didn't quite care where I was. I just wasn't feeling too good.

"Ah, it seems our guest is awake," a deep voice from the other side of the room said. I wasn't quite sure who the man was talking to; I was too tired to look up and see.

I heard footsteps approach me, but I still didn't open my eyes.

"Be still, child," he commanded gently. I wasn't going to argue that. I could barely move even if I wanted to.

After that, everything went dark again, but when I woke up again, everything was clearer. I could sit up just fine now, and I could see my surroundings without getting a headache and falling back down.

Before I had time to further investigate my whereabouts, my eyes met with my rescuer.

He was elderly, with long, straight hair and a long beard to match. It looked like he was a little bit… interesting. He wore a white floor-length robe. There was almost a faint glow to this old man.

Unless he wasn't an old man at all. What if he were an angel? Normal people didn't have that kind of glow… normal men didn't wear long, white dresses.

What if I was dead?

There was so much I hadn't done in life: I hadn't graduated high school, gotten a job, gotten married, had a family, gone to Europe… I hadn't done anything besides watch TV…

I was about to open my mouth and beg for my life back, but before I had the chance to even open my mouth, the old man started talking.

"What is your name?" he asked me, his steady voice very calm, very relaxed.

"Sora Lockheart," I said, nervously looking away from him.

"How many winters have you seen?"

Yup. I was dead. No regular person spoke like this. I felt a panic welling up inside of me as I tried to rationally answer the question.

"I'm seventeen."

"You have much to learn, my lady," he said with that same silky smooth voice.

I took a breath, preparing to ask the question I'd been dying to ask.

"Am I dead?"

There was a pause before he cautiously answered my question.

"No, my dear, you are yet alive," he assured me. I felt a wave of relief pass over me. Before I could ask my next set of questions (like where I was, who he was, what had happened), he yet again spoke. "In this world, that is."

"In this world?" I repeated, puzzled.

"You are really quite lucky, Sora," the man told me. "You hail from a place named Earth, I presume?"

I nodded. Where else was there?

Maybe this guy wasn't the right guy to be trusting. He was, after all, very strange. Or, I could always go back to my theory of this being a dream.

Yeah I liked that one.

"I'm afraid you have passed on in your world," he told me, regret apparent in his eyes. "But you were lucky enough to end up here."

At first I said nothing. I didn't want to encourage this man's crazy delusion.

But then again, how was I going to get any answers? I had to figure out how to get home, and even though this man was pretty… out of it… maybe I could get some sort of answer from him?

I sorely hoped so.

"Where is here?"

"Welcome to the beautiful land of Middle Earth," he told me, a small smile forming on his lips. "It is by far, the greatest place that I have ever seen."

"So… okay…" I said, playing along, "I'm sure it's beautiful… how can I get back to the beautiful land of the United States?"

"On Earth?" he mused. "Child, that is beyond anything I can help you with right now."

"You don't have to help me," I said, nervously swinging my legs back and forth as they dangled off the side of the bed. "If you could just give me some directions…"

"You cannot return to your world without my assistance…" he gravely announced. "I do indeed wish there were a way… but there is not."

"So… when _can_ you help me?" I asked, getting a little bit impatient.

"First you must believe me when I say you are no longer on Earth," he said, probably detecting my skepticism. The tone of his voice indicated that he was apparently growing impatient as well.

I guess my facial expression didn't look very convinced, so the old man held out his hand. I reluctantly took it.

"Come with me, there is something you must see," he told me. He then grabbed his long walking stick and made his way slowly through the tower.

We went through a couple rooms before we reached a very dark, very empty room.

"Look into the palantir," he directed, motioning toward a crystal-ball looking thing in the middle of the room. It didn't seem like a great idea, but I didn't figure I really had much to lose at this point.

I hesitantly walked over to the center of the room, only turning around to face the old man once for reassurance. He nodded at me, urging me to look. The friendly face he'd put on before was gone now; his countenance now took on a very serious demeanor.

And then I looked in the palantir.

It took a few seconds for anything to happen. Just when I was about to turn away, I saw an empty road, much like the one that I'd been driving on before. It was storming, just like I remembered.

And then I could see myself. I was driving, a thoughtful expression on my face as I watched the road intently. At least it _looked_ like I was watching the road intently. Only I would be able to tell that I was actually not all that focused on the road… I remembered that I had let myself get distracted.

As I looked into the palantir, I saw the car that had caused me to crash. It was coming up pretty quickly, but it was obvious that I hadn't noticed yet, since I was still staring off into space. But then suddenly, I looked up; my eyes were as wide as saucers, obviously panic-stricken.

I watched my mouth open, but no sound came out as my knuckles turned white from gripping the steering wheel so hard. I had swerved away from the oncoming traffic, but I had let myself skid off of the road and into the woods.

Going at a ridiculously fast speed, my car crashed head-on with a very large, very thick tree.

There was a long pause before anything happened in the palantir.

But the car that had indirectly caused me to crash quickly came to a stop, and a panicked man scurried out of the car. He made his way over to my car, but I didn't come out. I watched him hurriedly pull out his cell phone and make a call.

The scene changed a little bit. It appeared that I had been placed on a long, metal table. I could only see the shadow through the curtain, though; I couldn't see myself in great detail.

I saw my family standing outside a door. My father and mother and Bree were huddling together, but Leo removed himself from the group. He was on the other side of the room, facing a wall, not daring to take even one step closer.

"Mr. Lockheart, we're going to have to ask you to identify the body," a man with a serious expression on his face said. My father nodded, and Bree and my mother continued hugging. There were tears staining their cheeks. "This way," the man instructed as he opened the door.

My father looked sick and very nervous as he stumbled through the door, shutting it quietly behind him. The man was close by. Cautiously, my father walked over to the bed covered with a curtain.

The man drew back the curtain very slowly, and the expression on my father's face changed from sick to an expression that couldn't be properly described with words. He looked like he was about to fall apart – only worse.

"That's her," he said in a hoarse whisper. After an intense moment, he crumpled to the ground.

And then I saw it.

It was me… only… it wasn't me. My eyes were closed very gently, but that was the only peaceful part of my entire body. My skin was unusually white, and my body was broken and covered in large gashes. My mangled hair was in knots, a few stray strands clinging to my distorted face.

I involuntarily screamed and let the room spin around me. I couldn't watch anymore. I had never felt so sick to my stomach in my entire life and tears threatened to leak out of the corners of my eyes.

"That is what has happened in your world, Sora Lockheart," the man said, his haunting footsteps ringing in my ears as he approached me. "Should you choose to accept it or not, that is what happened."

"I can't be dead," I said in a shaky voice. I looked up at him. "I'm only seventeen, I can't be dead!"

"You do not-,"

"I can't be dead," I repeated, my voice dripping horror. "You're not supposed to die when you're seventeen! I can't be dead! That's not my body in the palantir, my body's right here! I'm not dead!"

"You no longer exist in your world," he told me fiercely. "You have passed on in your world, but you were brought here and I restored your life." The explanation didn't make much sense to me, but I was too upset to question it.

His tone softened as he opened his mouth to speak again, "but as unfortunate as it is… a life was meant to be taken this day… And you are still alive."

I stared at him blankly, trying to figure out what he could be trying to imply.

"It is not so easy to defy fate, you know," he explained, shaking his head sorrowfully. "If fate is meant to take your life… I am afraid I cannot challenge fate."

"Are you saying you're going to kill me?" I asked, backing away very slowly. This day had gone from bad to worse.

"It is something that should be done to keep the balance in our worlds…" he told me, looking at his walking stick and running his fingers along the top. He looked up at me suddenly. "However…"

There was a pause.

"You are so young, and you have a long life yet to live," he explained, "so I wish to aid you in any way that I can."

"Can… can you do that?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Of course, my dear child," the man told me, a strange smile forming on his face. "You see… if you are able to prove to fate that you are worthy to continue your life on Earth… perhaps I can send you back to your home without disrupting the balance of the universe."

"But… how can I-?"

"If you can assist me in my quest to save Middle Earth… I can save your life," he offered. "I can send you back to your beloved world, and you may continue living your life as though this never happened."

I considered it. I had so much left to do in my life… I wasn't ready to pass over to the afterlife. I was too young! And even if I were old enough to die… I wanted to see my family again. I wanted another chance to truly appreciate them and I wanted another chance to spend time with them.

My life hadn't even begun yet. I couldn't let it slip away while I had a choice.

Besides, I would be able to make this world a better place. So everyone would win, right?

But could I do what he wanted of me?

"Well… what would you have me do?" I asked hesitantly.

"Ages ago, there was a man named Sauron. He ruled this Middle Earth with the strength of a hero, and he kept everything together by the power of his ring… Now this ring, it was no ordinary ring… it is known around this world as the One Ring," the man explained to me. "As long as he had this ring, he had enough strength to endure battle injuries, illness, old age, and even death, itself."

I nodded, signaling him to continue his tale.

"But, as time went on, Sauron allowed his Ring to corrupt him. He began using his Ring for bad, evil rather than good. And the Ring was forever labeled as an evil trinket, and most forgot that it could do good for the world."

The man shook his head regretfully.

"In the right hands, this Ring can do good for our world… but in the hands of someone corrupt, the Ring can be used to commit very evil deeds. And as you will see, most beings in this world are easily corrupted and mislead. You will find that everywhere in your journeys. What I need you to do… I need you to track down find this Ring, and you must bring it to me," he explained. "It will be safe in my hands, and I will use it for good."

I had too many questions to even think straight. Where was this ring? Who was this old man and why did he want this ring? Would he really do good with it?

"Why me?" I asked when I was finally able to open my mouth.

"Magic does not exist in your world," he explained. "Thus, it is impossible for you to be corrupted by the Ring And I would go there, myself… but I am unfortunately busy, and I am mistrusted by the people who currently possess the Ring. As you'll remember, they have forgotten that the Ring can do good for the world. And they know of my intentions to keep the Ring in my tower…"

I didn't say anything, so he continued.

"You will find this Ring in a land called Rivendell, a dwelling of the Elves," the man told me. "They are a race who believes the Ring can do only evil, and you would do best not to tell them your true intentions. You must… gain their trust, get closer to the Ring, and then – take it and return to me."

I said nothing. I was still trying to process the entire situation.

"And if you bring it to me… without telling anyone of this plan, and I mean _anyone_… I will open a portal and fate will allow you to pass through and return to your home world," he promised. "However… should you betray my trust, should you fail this quest, you will be unable to go back to your world, Sora. And as much as I do not wish to do so, I will be forced to end your life. Otherwise, there could be dire consequences."

"Who are you? How can I know you'll do the right thing?" I asked in a small voice.

"My name is Saruman," the man told me. "I am a White Wizard, and my powers as a wizard make it impossible for the ring to corrupt me. It will be best for the world if it is in my hands… there are few who walk this earth that can handle the great power that comes with the ring… and in the wrong hands, great evil could be thrust upon this world."

"Well…" I said, trying to decide.

"Make your choice," he ordered. "You will do this and be a hero, or you will fail and pass over to the afterlife, forever losing your chance at ever returning home."

"I'll do it," I said, going with my first instinct. I wanted to live, after all. I just had to steal a little ring, bring it back to this man, and then he would let me go home. It would be good for this world. I was doing the right thing. I had to be, right?

He smiled.

"Good."

There was a pause before Saruman spoke again.

"You will need to properly protect yourself," he said thoughtfully, walking around me like I was some sort of scientific specimen. He was obviously evaluating my ability to take on such a quest. "It does not work in your favor that you are a woman."

I gulped awkwardly, shrinking down.

"You will unfortunately be in harm's way," he said, clutching his walking-stick.

He suddenly left my side, walking with purpose to the other room. I was beyond confused, but I had no choice but to trust this man. He was my key to back home.

He was my key to my own _life_.

I heard him shouting some phrases in a language that I wasn't familiar with. There were some bright lights coming from the other room, but I soon turned away. I cringed, squeezing my eyes shut. I didn't want to be involved in this anymore than I already had to.

When Saruman finally returned, he was carrying a small trinket.

"Put this on," he instructed, holding out his hand and revealing a small, silver ring. It was surprisingly ornate, with small designs carved into the side.

"What… what is it?" I questioned as I reached out to take it. I didn't put it on yet, though.

"It is a ring… crafted especially for you," Saruman explained. "It will give you my protection and the ability to heal yourself should you be injured on your quest."

I nodded slowly.

"Should you betray my trust, however… the ring will disintegrate… you will lose the power and protection that comes with this priceless trinket. And unfortunately, my dear Sora… without this ring… your life will be in peril, and you will not survive long. Fate is searching for you, remember. Without my protection, you will perish."

I closed my eyes, not quite sure why I was so hesitant. It felt like I was selling my soul away or something. But I had to do this. I couldn't die. I couldn't leave my family like that.

So then I put it on my ring finger, and it was like nothing ever happened.

"You will tell no one of this quest. You will trust no one with this information I have bestowed upon you."

"Okay," I agreed, wondering where I could go from here.

"You must go now," Saruman said, pointing his staff in front of me. I stepped back in a clumsy mess, startled by his sudden movement.

"Okay!" I said, trying to hide my jumpiness but failing miserably. I whirled around and went down the spiral staircase, and then I ran out the door.

As I was about to approach the horse that Saruman had left for me, I was stopped by a horrifying creature. It had arms and legs and stood upright like a human… but this _thing _definitely wasn't human. Its eyes were enlarged and yellow, while its ears were pointed and filthy. Its skin was a sickly blue color, and the smell couldn't be described with words.

I resisted the urge to scream when it grabbed my hand and smiled at me with its yellowed and crooked teeth.

"What are you?" I asked in a whisper, trying to subtly free myself from it slimy grip.

"What am I?" it sneered in a phlegmy voice. "It's not very polite to ask people what they are, my lady." He laughed mockingly, and it was then that I noticed that he had friends. They all laughed at me too.

Nervous, I bit my lip. Obviously they were in Saruman's territory. And Saruman was watching from his balcony, so they were obviously not unwelcome visitors. Otherwise he'd probably say something…. right?

But I couldn't help but gasp in fear as one a few of them drew their swords.

"Don't be frightened, we won't 'urt you," one of them snickered, though it didn't sound like a sincere promise.

The creature let go of me and one of them handed me a sword. Reluctantly, I took it and was instantly weighed down by it. Swords were a lot heavier than I'd thought they'd be.

"Now you 'old it like this," one of them told me, showing me his grip on the sword. I tried my best to imitate it, though I wasn't sure I was doing it correctly. My hands felt awkward and the sword didn't feel any lighter than before.

He didn't correct me.

"Give it a good swing," he ordered. I swung it clumsily, almost losing my balance and toppling over. They laughed at me again. "Plant your feet," he laughed. I could feel my cheeks getting red as I nodded.

Twenty minutes later, they had taught me a few basics and I was ready to be on my way. Saruman had told me it was a three day's ride to Rivendell, and that's if I didn't stop.

As I approached the beast, I couldn't help but to feel a little nervous. It had been a while since I'd been horseback riding. I guess I'd neglected to mention that little detail to Saruman.

But the way he pointed his staff at me… I wasn't too eager to go back in and ask for riding instruction. I knew he was apparently a decent guy, but he still gave me the creeps.

Maybe it was a wizard thing. Or maybe a Middle Earth thing. After all, I wasn't really used to being around people from here. And maybe they just gave off a different vibe than people from Earth did.

When I finally had to mount the horse, I surprised myself. It came back pretty easily. I guess maybe it hadn't been as long as I thought. Or maybe it was just one of those things you never forget.

But that wasn't important now. I needed to get going; the sooner I did this, the sooner I could get home.

With a gentle kick, the horse was off.

And thus began my journey.


	4. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: **__**Here's the third chapter of "A Thousand Years!" Hope you all enjoy it! Reviews are extremely appreciated, so if you have a minute, please take the time to tell me what you thought. **_

_**Also, there is a link to some cover art for Book 1: What Have You Done under my profile.**_

_**Disclaimer: **__**I do not own the Lord of the Rings books nor do I own the Lord of the Rings movies. No profit is being made off of this story; it is being written merely for entertainment purposes.**_

_**Chapter 3:**_

_~About a week later~_

"What is your name?" a woman asked me. I could only assume that she was an Elf: her ears were pointed and her grace and beauty were indescribable.

"Sora," I replied. I had debated this on the ride over, whether or not to go by my actual name. A different name would have been a good idea (considering my mission was absolutely secret), but I figured it wouldn't do too much harm to keep my own name. I wasn't even sure that I could remember my pretend name, anyway, so that would cause problems later on.

So for now, it was best to stick to my real name.

"I was not aware anyone by the name of Sora was invited to the Council… and did you arrive without an escort?" she asked me as I dismounted the horse. It had been more than a few days, yet I was still unimaginably sore from riding. I would have hoped to be accustomed to using those muscles by now.

"Um, well, I have come on Lord Boromir's behalf… for he was unable to attend," I said, hoping and praying that I got his name right. Saruman told me that Boromir would arrive late to Rivendell… hopefully this 'Boromir' wouldn't come in time to attend the Council. "And yes, I unfortunately had to come without an escort… it was… short notice," I said, trying desperately to be smooth and act like I knew what I was talking about.

I wasn't sure if she bought it or not, but she led me to a room that I could stay in.

"Thank you," I said wholeheartedly as I practically ran over to the bed and plopped myself onto it. It was nowhere near as comfortable as my bed back home, but it was worlds more comfortable than the ground I'd been sleeping on for the past week.

I wanted to cry I was so relieved. Finally something that resembled a house. Finally something that reminded me in the slightest bit of home. A bed, a bed!

"A dress will be laid out for you in the morn," the Elf told me. "And one for the night is already on your bedside. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

I shook my head.

"I hope you find our hospitality to be to your liking, hiril nín (my lady)," she told me in a soft voice. She then quietly made her exit and closed the door behind her.

I was more tired than I had ever been in my life, so I didn't hesitate in reaching for the night-gown and throwing it on in a rush. Then, without a second thought, I slid under the covers and did my best to fall asleep.

I pretended that I was back home, and that the other members of my family were all across the hall in their rooms sleeping, and that we'd all have a nice family breakfast in the morning.

That made me smile a little bit.

But the sad truth was I wasn't back home. My family members were not across the hall, and we would not all have a nice family breakfast in the morning.

I really missed them... especially Leo. It was weird being without him. I felt so alone… But I had to make myself remember that the arrangement was only temporary. I'd be back home before I knew it. I had to be. It wouldn't be too hard to get some little old ring.

And when I was back in my own house, surrounded by my family, I could just forget this whole thing happened. It would be like any other day. Except I wouldn't mind going to school so much, and I wouldn't fight with my parents so much, and I wouldn't take my family and friends for granted so often.

I'd be home soon, I promised myself.

-((*))—

When I opened my eyes the next morning, I saw a beautiful Elven dress laid out at the foot of my bed, just like the woman had promised there would be. I stretched and yawned before leaving my nice, warm bed.

It was a little chilly, but not really too bad. I wasn't about to complain.

I picked up the gown very carefully, worried I might rip it. It looked very delicate – more delicate and beautiful than anything I'd ever worn back home. It was a dark, Irish green, and although I usually hated to wear green, this was a nice shade.

When I put it on, I instantly felt royal. Ten years ago, I would have been in heaven, seeing as the only thing I wanted when I was seven was to be a princess. And even though I felt beautiful wearing this dress, it just didn't feel right. It felt like Halloween or something. Saruman had given me some decent riding clothes. Sure, they weren't of much resemblance to the clothes I usually wore back home, but they were still closer than this dress.

I needed to blend in, though, so I had to act like I'd been wearing clothes like this (or at least similar to this) my entire life. I practiced walking around the room a little bit. The first few steps were awkward, but after a few minutes it got a little easier.

I wondered what I should do today. The Council obviously wasn't today (otherwise I would have been informed since I was now an official invitee to the Council), so I had the day to myself.

What was there to do in Rivendell?

I guess walking around could be fun. I hadn't gotten to see much of Rivendell the day before, but what I had seen was beautiful. The rest of Rivendell was bound to be even more beautiful.

I headed out the door and stepped out into the fresh, autumn air. Fall was my favorite season and I was beyond glad that it was autumn here. If there was one good thing about being in Middle Earth, it was that I was temporarily exempt from the spring pollen that had been giving me horrible allergies back home.

Most of the trees were golden by now, and that made Rivendell truly breath-taking. Really, its beauty was beyond any adequate description that I could provide.

It was probably a couple of hours that I walked around before I met up with another person. I was surprised at how abandoned these paths seemed to be. But then again, maybe I was just wandering about in the wrong places. Rivendell seemed to be pretty well populated.

It was another Elf, except this one was a man. He had long, dark hair and his expression seemed very serious. Then again, most of the Elves I had encountered during my short stay had seemed pretty serious. It's not that they seemed mean… they just had a solemn demeanor.

"Are you wandering out here alone?" he asked, his face rather shocked. I shrugged shyly. "Most people do not enter these parts of the woods…"

"I've never been to Rivendell before," I admitted, "so I guess I'm not sure where I'm allowed to be and where I'm not."

"You are permitted to be in this area…" the man told me, "but seldom do people come here. I was merely surprised, hiril nín (my lady)."

"I feel dumb asking… but… what can I do here during my stay?" I asked. It was embarrassing how American I sounded. Not that I was ashamed of being American. I just needed to keep my disguise, and so far, I was doing an awful job.

"Well… I suppose you can walk out in the woods," the man said, obviously taken a bit aback from my question. "There is a house of ancient relics… and Rivendell has quite a library, you know."

I nodded with gratitude.

"I am sure there will be many people to talk to, as well. You see, many have traveled here to attend Elrond's Council," he continued.

I nodded yet again.

"So I've heard," I said with a smile. "Thank you very much for your help!"

The man nodded as he continued on his way.

Now I just needed to find my way to the library, which at the moment interested me the most.

Maybe it would help me learn a little bit more about Middle Earth, I decided.

-((*))—

When I finally managed to find my way to the library, it was getting close to dusk. That didn't bother me; I generally enjoyed night-time. It was peaceful.

What _did _bother me was how empty my stomach felt. Saruman had given me enough food to ration out my journey to Rivendell, but there was none left over to feed me in Rivendell. Much less the journey back to Isengard.

But I didn't really know how any of that worked. Did Elves eat every day? Did they eat multiple times in a day? Was it considered rude to ask for food, or would I be over-stepping my boundaries? I had too many questions, and no way to find any answers.

The library was fairly empty, but that was all the better. Was it always empty, or was it because it was near dusk? Or could it be closed? Did libraries in Middle Earth have closing times?

There was really only one person in the library, and I didn't know if he could be an employee or the owner or just a random dude trying to get in a good bed-time story. It was apparent that he was no Elf, though; he was from the race of Men. And since Rivendell was a dwelling run by Elves, it wasn't likely that this man was an owner or an employee at this library.

Did that mean there were no closing times then?

Well, it wouldn't do me any harm to just sit down and see what happened. If it was closed, someone would just tell me.

It was actually fairly dark in this library, at least compared to what I was used to back home. There were of course, many windows, but since it was almost dark outside, that didn't help. There was just candle-light in here.

But since there were so many candles, and even a little light-fixture in the center of the room made of candles, it was still light enough that I could read fairly comfortably. I walked slowly across the dark wooden floor toward the first shelf I noticed.

And that's when I came upon the unfortunate discovery that I couldn't even read the titles of the books, much less read the entire book.

I glanced around, and whatever language these few books were written in (I was guessing Elvish) seemed to be the primary language for all of the books. I grew steadily more frustrated as I tried to find a book that I could actually read.

The man was reading a book. And since he was from the race of Men, he surely read in the common language, correct? So there _had _to be something.

"Excuse me," I said in a small voice. The man instantly looked up at me, though only his eyes moved.

He didn't say anything, so I decided to carry on with my question.

"Where did you find that book?" I asked.

"I found it on the shelf that you are currently searching on, m'lady," he answered politely.

"Oh," I whispered, not again meeting his gaze.

That only frustrated me more, since all of the books on these shelves were in Elvish. Maybe that was the dominant language for books?

If that were so… I'd have nothing to do to pass the time until I could find this "One-Ring".

"Does something ail you, m'lady?" the man asked, genuine concern in his voice. I sighed as I sat down in the chair across from the one he was sitting in.

"Is… Is Elvish the only language that books are written in?" I found myself dumbly asking. What did it matter if _one _person thought I was a fool? Especially since he was from the race of Men, and not an Elf. Why did it matter what he thought of me?

In fact, I figured I should probably get all of my stupid questions out of the way with now.

"No," he answered, "however, the majority of books in this library are written in Elvish."

"Do you know if there's something in the common language?" I continued, "you know, the one I'm speaking."

"I suppose there should be…" the man murmured to himself. As he got to his feet, he put his book down and it was then that I noticed the book was actually in Elvish. That made me wonder.

"You speak Elvish?" I inquired. This man was already on the other side of the room, searching through one of the shelves.

"I was raised in Rivendell for a time," he explained, "so I am quite familiar with the language."

"Wow," I mumbled. "That's neat," I told him, trying not to sound too awkward.

"I believe I may have found something for you to read," the man told me as he turned around, holding out to me a small stack of books. I smiled, my cheeks turning red.

"Thank you," I said. This man was very kind.

"I assume this is your first visit to Rivendell?" he asked me as he sat back down in his chair and retrieved his book. I nodded.

"It's pretty obvious," I laughed.

"I was unable to find much for you to read…. as I said before, most of the books here are in Elvish," he informed me, "for most of these are historical records…"

"That's actually what I was looking for," I said. "I don't know too much about the histories of Middle Earth…"

"There are few who do," he told me.

"Does that mean all of the historical records are written in Elvish?" I asked, shifting in my seat uncomfortably. He nodded.

"You may find a small selection of historical records here in the common tongue… but most of the histories were primarily recorded in Elvish. The versions you will find are only translations," he explained. I nodded thankfully.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"I am called Strider," he said, averting his gaze from mine and going back to his book.

"I'm Sora," I said, trying to open a book and start reading. Conversation was getting awkward and I didn't want to push it too much further.

Still, there was a huge part of me that wanted to get to know some people. I'd hopefully only be here for a brief amount of time. So while I was here, I figured I may as well learn some things and make it as least miserable an experience as possible.

"Where do you hail from?" he asked, me, suddenly looking up from his book.

"Gondor," I said quickly, remembering what Saruman had told me.

Strider didn't say anything after that, so I began reading. The first book I tried was just a bunch of songs and poems and that really didn't help me at all… so I put it back.

The second book didn't give me all that much historical information, but it was better than the first book, so I decided to read it. I only got through about fifty pages, though, before I became way too tired to think.

But where was my room again? I figured I could easily get back to my room in the day-light… but I didn't know my way around Rivendell well enough to find my room in the dark.

Strider was still here reading… I felt hesitant to bother him, but I felt even more hesitant to go out alone and possibly be stuck in the woods for the night.

Besides, Strider had told me that he'd grown up in Rivendell… so shouldn't he know where the guest rooms were?

Only one way to find out.

"I'm sorry to bother again," I said slowly. Strider looked up at me. I'd expected to see irritation blazing in his eyes, but he was still calm and patient as ever with me. "But I don't really know how to get back to my room… could you point me to the guest rooms?"

I could probably find it from there. I just needed a direction really. And if I _did _get lost, there would probably be someone around to help, right?

"May I escort you, m'lady?" he asked me, yet again, putting his book down on the coffee table in front of him. I could feel my cheeks getting red. Strider obviously valued chivalry a lot. I wondered if every guy here was like that, or if that was unique to him.

"Okay," I said, trying to hide my embarrassment. He got to his feet and approached me slowly.

He didn't take my arm or anything. We just walked. He didn't say much, but from what I'd gathered in the library, he didn't seem like a very talkative person. So I wasn't offended.

It was a surprisingly short walk, and I felt dumb that I had to ask his help to find it. I probably could have found it just by wandering around for a couple minutes.

Nonetheless, I was still very thankful that Strider had been kind enough to show me the way. It felt good to be able to know that people seemed to be polite and understanding here. I couldn't always count on that 100% of the time back home…

Yet I still wanted to be back home more than anything. I loved my family and my friends and I missed the little things like air conditioning, TV, computers, a bed that's actually comfortable… everything. But the sooner I got that ring, the sooner I'd be back with all that stuff.

I wondered what Kari was up to – how long she waited at the theater before finally giving up and going home. Or maybe she just went to watch the movie by herself. What had she thought when she found out I was dead?

I shivered at that thought. I didn't want to think of myself as being dead back home. I _wasn't _dead. I was here. And I would be back home before they could miss me.

I was pleasantly surprised when I got back to my room, for on a little end table, I saw a tray of fruit and meat. I'd never felt so relieved. This was an actual meal! I hadn't eaten anything worth getting excited over in a long time, since the only thing Saruman gave me to eat was some stale bread and old jerky for the trip.

So I basically inhaled my food, I was so hungry. I wondered in the back of my mind if this would be a regular thing for meals… getting fed once a day. It was better than nothing, but still… not as much as I was used to eating.

Oh well… this would help me get around to losing those ten pounds I wanted to lose for summer. I wouldn't have ever done it on my own, anyway, so this could be seen as a good thing.

I finished eating quickly and then I went to bed. It'd been a long day and I was ready for some rest and refreshment.

-((*))—

The next couple of days were pretty all right. I went walking one day, I spent the next day in the library, and the third day I went to the house of ancient relics that the Elf had described to me.

It was pretty interesting, but I was quickly running out of the things to do. I couldn't wait for the Council. Because during the Council, the Ring's presence would be announced. I didn't have a chance in hell to find it right now, but the Council would hopefully help give me a clue.

I could see myself starting a routine… walking, library, then relics… walking, library, then relics… And today I would be walking.

Well, at least the weather was still very nice, so walking was still an option. I would hate to wonder what people here did to amuse themselves in the dead of winter…

I slipped on my Elven dress and headed out the door as I began thinking. I hadn't seen Strider in a while… I almost kind of hoped that I would run into him today… I was getting a little lonely with having no one to talk to, and even though he wasn't particularly talkative, he was still better than no one.

I also began to wonder if Boromir was here yet… and then I began to wonder what would happen if he _were _here. Would I be uninvited to the Council? Or would they maybe forget about me?

Would they tell me if Boromir arrived, or just assume I'd heard?

What if I _were _uninvited? _Then _what would I do? Would I have to go in disguise as a man and sneak in? Would I have to bargain with someone to let me take their place? Then again, what would I have to offer in the bargain? I had nothing but…

Nothing.

I didn't even own the clothes on my back.

I had no food, no jewels, no money, no clothes, no books…

"Hiril nín!" I heard someone call from behind. On instinct, I whirled around. The man who called me smiled for a brief moment before his expression changed to show regret. "Oh," he murmured.

I wondered what that meant.

"Forgive me," he continued, "I mistook you for another, hiril nín."

He walked up to me with such grace that I instantly felt inferior. But all of the Elves I'd encountered had that effect on me, so it was no big deal anymore.

"It's okay," I said with a smile. I shrugged to let him know it didn't bother me.

"What is your name?" he asked me.

"Sora," I replied. "Who are you?"

"I am Legolas of Mirkwood," he told me. "From where do you hail?"

"Gondor," I replied.

"Minis Tirith?" he asked me. He seemed genuinely interested.

Too bad I didn't know what Minis Tirith was… otherwise I would have done something other than nod.

"The city's beauty is incomparable," he said, and once again, I nodded. "I was actually on my way to luncheon… might I escort you, hiril nín?" he offered. "Tis the least I can do after-,"

"Wait, they have lunch here?" I asked as my jaw dropped. Right on cue, my stomach rumbled.

Legolas chuckled as he gave me a quizzical look. Maybe he thought I was joking. Or naïve.

"Were you not aware, hiril nín?" he asked me as I shook my head shyly. "Let us go, then," he said with a light smile.

We walked side-by-side for a few minutes until we reached a beautiful structure, and Legolas signaled for me to follow him inside. Talking to him was nice. It was difficult for me to believe he was an Elf based on his attitude and behavior toward me. He was friendly and light and fun… all the Elves I'd met had intimidated me, but I felt comfortable with Legolas. I wondered if it was a Mirkwood thing or if it was only him.

There was a huge table with what looked like a hundred seats. A fair amount of those seats were filled, too. Though it was surprisingly quiet for having so many people… I was surprised.

Truth be told, I didn't exactly want to be here now that I'd seen it. There were a lot of people, more than I was comfortable with. But I figured if I wanted to eat, I might as well suck it up.

Legolas walked ahead and sat down, serving himself a plate of food in an elegant manner and taking small nibbles of food. I didn't know if I was supposed to sit next to him, or if I was supposed to go off and do my own thing… but I didn't know anyone else here… and Legolas was decent company. So hopefully I wouldn't be unwelcome.

Once I sat down, I knew I'd made a mistake. Most of the people here were Elves. Their beauty, posture and grace were beyond compare… I wondered if they would stare at me like I was some primitive barbarian while I ate. Because I _knew _I couldn't eat that… gracefully.

But I was hungry.

I wondered if I was allowed to get it to go… that would be fantastic, I decided.

Was that even allowed, though?

I glanced around casually. No one else seemed to be taking their food anywhere. Everyone was seated at the table, chatting quietly and enjoying the delicious-looking food.

So I didn't really have a choice but to at least _try _to survive this awkward social situation.

"What's Mirkwood like?" I asked as I reached for a plate as delicately as I could and proceeded to take my share of food. I was hoping Legolas had heard me, and that he realized I was talking to me.

Luckily, the Elf turned to face me as soon as I spoke. So I didn't have the problem of trying to catch his attention.

"You have not been there?" he asked. I couldn't tell if he was surprised or not. I shook my head as I shrugged.

"I didn't leave Gondor much really… being a girl and all," I explained, thinking quick on my feet. He nodded in understanding as I took a small bite of meat.

"Mirkwood is a very beautiful land," he said, "though as I am sure you must know… its beauty has somewhat diminished as of late." There was a seriousness in his eyes as he said this.

Should I have heard? I hadn't heard anything. Saruman hadn't covered this…

Then again, he hadn't really covered all that much. I suppose he didn't expect me to interact with the people all that much.

"I don't know much about what goes on in the world," I admitted shyly.

"Dol Guldur still leaves its shadow upon Mirkwood," he explained, a twinge of sadness in his eyes, "so we were left with no option but to travel north." He then reached for his goblet and took a sip of what I assumed to be water.

Which made me wonder what was in my goblet. Was it water? Or perhaps some sort of wine?

Was there a drinking age here?

A thought for later, I decided.

"Oh," I said, expressing sympathy. I had no idea what that meant, but it sounded bad. I decided to let the topic drop. "So what's your family like?"

Legolas seemed a bit taken-aback. I cringed at my own social screw-up. I wished at that moment that I knew the customs of Middle Earth, just so I could keep myself out of awkward situations or invasive conversations.

Back home, it was fine to ask about family if you were trying to get to know someone and be their friend. Or at least that's what I'd always found. Occasionally it came up as a touchy subject (depending on the person's home life), but normally it was a pretty safe question.

Here, however… apparently it wasn't the right thing to ask.

"Or, umm-," I began, racking my brain for another question that could hopefully be a safe question. Legolas interrupted me, though, so I was off the hook for the moment.

"My father is a very honorable man," he told me. "And his courage is beyond comparison." He smiled.

Legolas didn't mention any other people in his family, so I found it best not to ask about anyone else.

"And may I ask of your family, hiril nín?" Legolas asked me.

I was temporarily caught off-guard as he asked this. Which I really shouldn't have been, considering that I'd asked the question in the first place. I should have been anticipating he return the question…

Well, to go with my real family, or not to go with my real family?

I figured this was the same situation as deciding whether or not to go with my real name. Would I be able to remember my made-up family?

I could see myself forgetting and making a total fool of myself… so I figured I'd better go with my real family.

"Well… I have a mom and a dad… and a sister named Bree and… I have a twin. His name is Leo," I said, trying to keep it brief. Legolas had given me one sentence, so I didn't want to bore him with long hours of how my family was, what they did, stories about them, etc.

Another Elf began to strike up conversation with Legolas, so I decided now would be a good idea to further investigate what was in my cup. And then figure out what to do if it was alcohol.

This whole world seemed somewhat medieval… I could definitely see it when I was at Saruman's tower. I didn't want to get caught drinking if I wasn't old enough to yet. They might cut of my head or something…

Then again… Elves didn't seem that barbaric. They had something intellectually superior about them.

But I didn't want to take any chances.

Luckily, it only turned out to be water. And hopefully, I wouldn't be here long enough to find out if there was a drinking age.

My meat was already eaten, and now I just had to finish the cob of corn I'd grabbed and the cabbage soup.

I found myself trying to eat as quickly as possible. Legolas wasn't watching me, so I didn't have to worry about trying to look sophisticated. I just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

Eventually, I did finish eating, and I wanted to make a bee-line for the door. But first I did have one issue…

What to do with the plate?

Was I supposed to leave it there? Or was there somewhere I was supposed to take it?

I glanced around. I didn't see any empty, dirty plates. So maybe I was supposed to wash it?

I hated how confusing everything was here. I didn't know the rules, and even if the rules were written down, I wouldn't be able to read them. And I didn't know anyone well enough to ask where to put my plate without sounding like a moron.

Well, except Legolas. But he probably thought I was enough of an idiot. I didn't need him to think less of me if I wanted him to be a potential friend for me.

So, when I was certain that no one was looking, I hid my plate under the table and quietly made my exit.


	5. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:**__** Here is the next installment of "A Thousand Years!" Please review(:**_

_**Disclaimer: **__**I do not own the Lord of the Rings books nor do I own the Lord of the Rings movies. No profit is being made off of this story; it is being written merely for entertainment purposes.**_

_**Chapter 4:**_

I didn't see Legolas or Strider for the rest of the day, but I was hopeful that maybe I would see them again sometime. Things were starting to get lonely. It had been almost a month since I'd left home and had a good, long conversation. I could only imagine how much I would bother my family and friends when I returned home…

"_Sora… is everything okay..?" my nervous brother would ask me. I'd nod enthusiastically._

"_Of course," I'd assure him. _

"_Because you're awfully… talkative… you don't normally talk this much..?"_ Poor Leo would seem extremely bewildered by the sudden increase in my desire for social interaction.

I grinned at this image as I lay down in my bed. Closing my eyes, I felt a strong hope in my heart that this situation would soon become reality.

-((*))—

The next day seemed like a very ordinary day. I figured today I would be going to the library, trying desperately to find a book that I could actually read.

However, as I was slipping on the dark blue dress that had been lain out for me, I heard a knock at the door.

"Ummm, one minute," I called uncomfortably, trying to get the dress on as quickly as I could without destroying it.

"Today is the day of the Council, hiril nín," the voice said through the door. "You must be there when the sun hits the top of the sky."

My heart skipped a beat at this announcement and I froze. Was today really the day?

I felt like jumping for joy, doing a happy dance, screaming… I was so happy. The Ring would be at the Council… and then I would be able to snatch it away when no one was looking… then I could return to Saruman, and then I could go home! I would only be here another week, at most!

"Thank you," I called, unsure whether the Elf was still at my door or not. I could literally feel myself glowing as I finished clumsily pulling on the dress.

I was glad I was still invited. Obviously Boromir was not here yet… or even if he was, I was still on the list to go to the Council. They wouldn't tell me the Council was today if I wasn't invited, I decided.

I decided to do something to my hair for once. I pulled it all in the back and tied it in a long, tight braid. I didn't want to draw too much attention to myself, considering this was the day I was going to technically commit a teeny weeny crime for the greater good of Middle Earth.

And my fiery-red hair tended to… stick out a little bit.

Red-hair was normal back home. It wasn't as common as brown hair or blonde hair, but I still knew fairly many natural red-heads. But here… I hadn't seen anyone with this color. I had yet to meet another red-head in Middle Earth.

As I finished up a few more tasks, I decided to return to the place that Legolas had shown me just a day ago. I wanted to see if perhaps they were serving breakfast… this could be the last meal I had for a little while, depending on how quickly I had to make my escape.

Come to think of it, why was I wearing this long, heavy dress? I suddenly found myself wishing for a nice pair of trousers… ones that I could actually make a good getaway in.

But then again, I figured I had a good advantage. I was a woman. Women in this era seemed quite innocent, like the thought of committing a crime had never even crossed their mind. So maybe that could work in my favor.

-((*))—

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old," the particularly serious Elf (who I could only assume was Elrond) began. "You've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it."

I glanced around at my fellow Council-mates. I noticed that both Legolas and Strider were here, which made me glad, yet at the same time very uncomfortable. I hoped that they would someday understand that I was doing this for their own good.

"You will unite, or you will fail," Elrond continued frankly. I actually found that I could respect that. Elrond was doing what he thought was best for the world, no bullshitting about it. "Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom." There was a pause before he spoke again, his eyes drifting over to a young man with tight, brown curls. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

My heart did a flip as the little man rose to his feet and cautiously walked forward to a small table in the center of the Council. All eyes were undoubtedly on him. He delicately dropped the item onto the table and returned to his seat.

I found myself moronically scooting to the edge of my seat and leaning forward, just so I could get a better look at this. Just to see if it was really true.

Just to see if this was really what Saruman had told me about.

"So it is true," a man whispered, awe apparent in his eyes. He leaned forward as well, which made me feel a little better about my own move.

He rose from his seat suddenly, taking us all by surprise.

"In a dream," he spoke, "I saw the eastern sky grow dark… but in the West, a pale light lingered." He paced around a little bit, making eye-contact with everyone in the clearing at least once. "A voice was crying: 'Your doom is near at hand… Isildur's Bane is found…'"

I noticed the man start to walk toward the Ring, which made me feel a little restless. I didn't like him being so close to it… he was obviously no Elf, so how could he be trusted? Saruman had told me many times how easily corrupted the race of Men were in this world.

"Isildur's Bane…" the man whispered, his gaze captured by the gleaming of the Ring. He reached forward very slowly, and just as he was about to take it, Elrond sprung from his chair.

"Boromir!" he shouted. This man… apparently named 'Boromir', instantly stepped back.

But it was too late.

An older man clung to his staff and began speaking in a deep, almost threatening, tone. I couldn't understand what he was saying, and suddenly the sky grew dark and the ground beneath me was shaking. I gasped, wondering what could be happening.

Was it an earthquake? Or maybe that man put a curse on us and now we were all doomed. Was he after the ring as well?

I noticed that Legolas closed his eyes, as though he were blocking out the darkness. Elrond sighed, clutching his head, and Strider glanced around, apprehension in his eyes.

Luckily, after a couple of moments, the old man stopped shouting and the darkness gradually cleared up. I still had no inkling of what was going on, but now that that was over, I had time to realize something.

That man's name was Boromir…

Boromir was at the Council.

Boromir of Gondor… the man whose absence I had hoped for… was at the Council of Elrond.

How was I here? Was I allowed to be here? Did they forget?

I didn't suppose any of that mattered though, anymore, since I was already in. The part that worried me was any possible associations I may have with Boromir.

What if word got out that I wasn't sent in his stead? That he didn't even know me?

That would certainly taint my reputation and make it all the more difficult for me to get away with this. I would have to plan my moves carefully.

And I would have to work fast.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris!" Elrond said to the old man.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond," the old man said, rising from his seat and taking a small bow for courtesy's sake, "for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil," he continued, glaring at the ring for a moment and then returning his gaze to Elrond.

Boromir shook his head, disagreeing.

"It is a gift," he claimed, once again rising from his seat. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?"

It was a relief that someone shared my opinion. Maybe Boromir would understand if I told him… and he could cover for me…

Then again, I knew I was sworn to secrecy. Besides, the chances of the Ring corrupting Boromir were very high. My task would probably be much easier without his help.

"Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay! By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe!" There was a light forming in Boromir's eyes as he said this. "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it," Strider said in response. "None of us can." Boromir slowly turned to face Strider, irritation apparent in his expression. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master," Strider explained.

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir asked smugly.

"This is no mere Ranger," Legolas said, now standing up. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn." Legolas almost seemed insulted that Boromir had said this. I wished I knew what was going on… what a Ranger was… why 'Aragorn' told me his name was 'Strider'… why it was so important that Aragorn's dad's name was Arathorn… "You owe him your allegiance," Legolas said in a very soft voice, yet the way he said it made it apparent that he was serious.

Boromir was taken aback momentarily, and the entire Council waited in silence.

"Aragorn," Boromir said quietly as he was getting his thoughts together. "This is Isildur's heir?"

Aragorn gave a shy nod, but he said nothing. Legolas did the talking for him.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas said.

It was then that Aragorn finally spoke up… but only to say something to Legolas in Elvish. Legolas did not reply, but he gave a quick nod and sat back down in his seat.

"Gondor has no king," Boromir explained. Then he directed his gaze at Aragorn. "Gondor _needs _no king." Then he returned to his seat.

"Aragorn is right," said the old man. "We cannot use it."

"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed," Elrond declared.

"What are we waiting for?" a small and stocky man asked in a low, gruff voice. He got to his feet and approached the ring very quickly, drawing his ax. With a loud battle cry, the little man swung his ax to destroy the ring.

I let out an involuntary gasp. Would the Ring still be intact? Would it still be usable?

Would Saruman let me go home if I brought him a broken ring?

The little man fell back and grumbled in pain. A few other little men rushed to his aid, lifting him to his feet and helping him back into his chair.

And as I peered forward, I could feel my eyes widen. I was shocked.

There on that little table were broken fragments of the man's ax. And the Ring was still in perfect condition.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft we here possess," Elrond said in a low tone. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom… Only there can it be unmade." Elrond looked around at his audience as he continued speaking. "It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came."

Elrond paused, seemingly hesitant to finish his speech.

"One of you must do this," he announced, glancing around at the Council to see if anyone showed any interest.

It was deathly silent. Everyone looked around, hoping someone else would volunteer. Who could blame them? From what little I'd heard, Mordor didn't sound like the happening vacation spot.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir said, clutching his head in frustration. "Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs." He looked up, his voice raising a little bit. "There is evil there that does not sleep. And the Great-Eye is ever-watchful…"

A small smirk began to form on his face, as though the thought of trying to go to Mordor amused him. Perhaps the idea seemed so unrealistic to him that it was laughable.

"It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, and ash, and dust," he continued. "The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly," he said, letting out a small laugh.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring _must _be destroyed!" Legolas said angrily, springing from his seat.

"And I suppose _you _think you are the one to do it!" the little man, Gimli, said aggressively.

"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir shouted.

"I will be _dead _before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli roared.

This final comment caused everyone to jump from their seats, bickering with and screaming at each other.

"Never trust an Elf!" I heard Gimli yell in the crowd of people.

This was beginning to make me sick. I never liked to be involved in conflict… and here I was, smack-dab in the middle of it.

I wondered if they would let me take the Ring. I was a woman, so I figured they might automatically rule me out as an option. Apparently women here were too fragile and innocent to do anything except walk around and wear dainty dresses.

Of course I wouldn't actually take the Ring to Mordor and destroy it. I would take it to Isengard and deliver it straight to Saruman, himself. No one here believed that that was the better option yet, but I knew in time they would come to understand.

But I figured there was no chance they would let me go to Mordor. And even in the off chance they did allow me to go… they would surely appoint me an escort. And that would be a lot of stuff I didn't need to deal with at the moment.

So I decided I would stick with my original plan: watch where they take the Ring, discover its hiding place, take it tonight and run.

Suddenly, Frodo stood up and shouted something over the crowd that I couldn't hear at first. But when he repeated himself, I could more clearly hear.

"I will take it!" he announced. He said it once more as the crowd slowly calmed down to listen. When all was quiet, Frodo spoke again. "I will take the Ring to Mordor."

Frodo glanced around uneasily as the group gave him quizzical looks. He was very small; he didn't look like the right person to take the Ring to Mordor. It sounded much too dangerous for someone like him.

"Though," he said quietly, "I do not know the way..."

The old man made his way over to Frodo.

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins," he said, "as long as it is yours to bear." He placed a comforting hand on Frodo's shoulder and I saw a smile start to form on Frodo's face.

Aragorn then approached Frodo, saying very seriously, "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." He knelt down in front of Frodo, holding up his sword. "You have my sword," he promised.

"And you have my bow," Legolas said suddenly.

"And my ax!" Gimli said. Legolas looked a little bit annoyed at this announcement, but he kept all comments to himself.

Boromir then spoke.

"You carry the fates of us all, little one," he said. "If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."

I was now extremely glad that I hadn't volunteered to take the Ring to Mordor. There was no way I could sneak past all these people. All of their attention would constantly be on me… and that would leave me no time to sneak off with the Ring.

"HA!" I heard a voice from behind. I whirled around to see another little man, about Frodo's size, run up to the group. "Frodo's not going anywhere without me!"

"It is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you are not," Elrond said. I could swear I picked up on a playful tone in his voice, but I was never quite sure.

"Oi!" another little man shouted. "We're coming too!" He and his other little friend sprinted up to Frodo, light in their eyes. Elrond looked quite shocked. "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" he continued with a grin on his face.

"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of… mission. Quest. … thing!" a little man with an accent said.

"Well, that rules you out, Pip," one of the little men said.

I fought back a chuckle at this remark.

"Nine companions," Elrond said thoughtfully. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

"Great," the man with the accent said brightly. "Where are we going?"


End file.
